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This story is truly one of the road less traveled. 6′ 11″ San Diego basketball phenom Jeremy Tyler has decided to forgo his senior year in high school in order to prepare for the 2011 NBA draft. Since 2006, all players out of high school have had to wait one year and essentially be 19 years old. This came after several high profile players went straight from high school to the pros. Recognizing the movement to the road less traveled, we have to consider thinking another way about some of more prominent arguments against this proposed journey.

1. He needs to finish high school and complete the socialization it brings. A valid argument only if we are able to answer the question “socialization for what?” At best, socialization in high school is a backwards proposition in our society. Few things social in high school or even college are regarded as relevant in the so called “adult” world. Many leave high school and college as confused about what they’re going to do with their lives as they were when Mrs. Brown asked them in second grade. Tyler has made what he wants crystal clear.

2. He should not play against players years older and more experienced. There is no better way that a player can gain experience than to be beaten up by older and more experienced players. There is a question as to whether the quality of players is at the level of an NBA crowd, but they’re certainly at or above the level of many division I and II college teams. Surely they are better than the high school crowd that he is currently beating up.

3. He will be pimped into the low pay slavery of European leagues and risk injury. Only 20% of high school players ever get scholarships to play ball in college. Only 3% make it to a first year in the NBA. Many will not be able to play more than 5 years due to injuries or team cuts. This is clearly what he loves to do, and what he is good at. At least he can earn a living doing what he does best. So yes, he could finish high school, play 1-4 bruising years on the college floor with no pay, surrounded by wealthy coaches, boosters and unruly fans, never receive a thin dime and be respected for being pimped by the no wage collegiate system. Imagine how much money Lebron James, or Dwight Howard would have made for their college choices had they been forced by rules to go to college? Now the rule is one year removed from HS and 19. At best this rule has convienetly forced players to go to college and be pimped for that one year. If it were a rule based in education perhaps it would have been 2 or three years. At least an associates degree level of education?

4. He will be opening up the door to this phenom. Kobe Bryant. Kevin Garnett, Lebron James, and Dwight Howard. None of them went to 1 day of college. Derrick Rose, Greg Oden, and Carmello Anthony all went one year. Brandon Jennings finished high school and went to Italy. This June he tests this decision in the NBA draft. In other words, this way of thinking about professional sports is already here. We’ve also got to stop thinking of success only in measures of millions. Successful players earn a living playing basketball. How cool is that!?

5. What about his education? Who says that he can’t receive it? He will be home schooled to a GED and it will be up to him to continue his education. But before this becomes an issue, look at the rosters of all the NBA teams and you’ll find the few players who actually have a college degree. For the good or the bad of this particular argument, men’s basketball has the lowest college graduation rates of all college sports. Looks like their “gym schooling” wasn’t very productive. Probably because the emphasis was not on academics?

More “positive” scenarios: He plays and gets drafted into the NBA and becomes a wealthy baller. He plays in Italy, doesn’t get drafted, but has a shot at a longer career in Europe than he would in the states. He gets hurt and decides to return to the states with his GED and attend college and his life continues. Regardless, this young man is about to get a job and go to work doing what he loves. What more could we want for a 17 year old? What could be better?

It seems that the negatives and all of the flack over this scenario are about shifting the status quo. Not so much about what will go wrong for this young man, but what might change how we do things in this sports market that is funneled through a collegiate system designed to make money for colleges while giving no money to the athletes who do the work for these schools. Perhaps more athletes who walk the road less traveled will cause the system to shift. An interesting shift to consider for sure.

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